Artificial foot.



i' -f-TUNTTED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

A posite cushioning action.

. construction,

.is provided whereby OSCAR L. SAVITZ, OFALLENTOWN,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TC EDWIN S. BABENOLD lAND ONE-THIRDTO HARVEY E. WINK, BOTH 0F ALLEN- TQWN, PENNSYLVANIA,

' ARTIFICIAL FOOT.

Specication of Lettersllatent.

Patented Nov. 9, 41915.

Applicationrld July 7, 1915. Serial N0. 38,465.

T 0 all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, OSCAR L. Savrrz, a citizen of the United States,residlng at Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in ArtificialFeet, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to-improvements in artificial limbs, and its objectisto provide an artificial limb which affords a free and easy footmotion, and which embodies novel means for securing an efficientpneumatic vThe invention consists of the features of combination andarrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing in which:-'-

Figure 1 is a vertical front to rear section through an artificial limbembodying my, invention. Fig. 2 is section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referringto the drawing, '1 designates. the

leg section ofthe limb, which may be made of metal -or other suitablemateriah'and 2 designates the foot section of the limb, which ispreferably made of elastic material,

such as rubber, but may be made of a comessary '.iexibility for thecushioning actions, as hereinafter set forth.

As shown, the leg section l'is provided at its upper portion with astump receiving socket 3, which may be provided with any suitable softlining. As shown in the pres-y ent instance, this socket comprises outerand inner walls 4 and 5 spaced to provide a cushioning chamber 6,theinner wall 5 is preferably made of some 'suitable' soft flexible orelastic material v and lis yieldingly backed by air contained in thechamber 6 so that a cushioning action will be obtained to'ipreventobjectionable chafing or rubbing of vthestump and to adapt it toreceivethe thrust from the artificial. limb during the lwalking action withoutproducing soreness or other' discomfort. A valve filling tube 7 suppliedwith air whenever required.

The leg section 1 is provided with a base portion 8 which fits wlthinthe foot section vided.

a vertical transverse` structure designed to aiiord the necthe chamber(i may be 2, which foot section is formed with a chambei- 3 to receivethe said base of the leg section. The foot section is provided with lugs9 at opposite sides thereof and in rear of the instep line for pivotalconnection with rods or braces ,10 carried by the leg section, wherebyan .articulating connection is pro- Jointed to the foot section in rearof the articulating connection is a rod 11 movable in a guide member 12on the leg section and controlled',y by .an linterposed spring 13, byivhichlheflimb sections are maintained 1n .a properrelative Apositionand the articulating motiony of the said secl. tionsupon one anotherproperly cushioned.

In accordance with my invention the foot section 2 'is provided withl apair of superposed air chambers 14 and 15, the air chamber 14 beingseparated from the receiving chamber' 3 by a flexible diaphragm 16, inwhich diaphragm the chamber' 15 is formed, the chamber 14 is closedagainst communication withthe atmosphere exceptvthrough a'valved tubeorconductor 17, while the chamber 15 communicates with the atmosphere atthe front and rear of the foot section, as indicated at 18 and 19,respectively. The chamber 14 is adapted to be supplied with air wheneverrequired, which air is retained in said chamber for a cusnloning action,air being only furnished at suiiicient intervals to compensate for thatlost by leakage. The chamber 15 on the other end is adapted to besupplied with air by suction and to have the air exhausted therefrom-bycompression, the suction being produced by the collapse oi its wallswhen the limb is in action by the tread pressurel for the exhaust ot theair and the pro-duction of a partial vacuum for theadmission of freshair when the walls expand or dilate upon the removal of pressure, aswhen the a mediiu'n ot the air cushion 14, while the upper portion ofthe foot section to which the leg section is connected, namely the wallor diaphragm 1,5, is also permitted to have a yielding action, by meanso Which the action of the limb in walking is cushioned and obieotionablejars, pressures or-strains.;1'1pon the stu'mp'of .the natural limbprevented.

An' artificial limb including a legr section 54 and a -footsection'conneeted for articulating I'no'tion, said foot section beingformed of .el'astie material and having an air chamber therein disposedbetween its upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of said footsee- -f i0 vtionfimln'in'g a yielding Wall or diaphragm and having anair passage therethrough, said diaphragm formingthe support for the,

Said air chamber. y

`In testimony whereof. I affix my signature /15 in presence of twoWitnesses.

OSCAR L. SAVITZ. Witnesses -leg section, and means for supplying air, to

foules` of.v this patent may be obtained for five cents eachpby-addressing the f Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, vIl. C.

